THOMAS KAIL, LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, JON STEINGART & JILL FURMAN PRESENT
JANUARY 30-MARCH 2 ONLY AT GREENWICH HOUSE THEATER
SURPRISE (AND SPONTANEOUS) GUESTS PLANNED AT SELECT PERFORMANCES DURING STRICTLY LIMITED RUN
Back by popular demand, Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jon Steingart and Jill Furman announced a strictly limited return engagement of FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME, the high-energy show that is a blend of hip-hop, improvisational theater, music, and vocal stylings, all backed by live music from keyboards and beats. Conceived of by Kail, Miranda and Anthony Veneziale, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME begins previews on January 30 with an official opening on February 12 at the Greenwich House Theater, 27 Barrow Street. Tickets on sale now at www.freestylelovesupreme.com.
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME features six talented performers providing non-stop action throughout this fast-paced evening, spinning cues from the audience into humorous bits, instantaneous songs and riffs, and fully realized musical numbers. The electrifying vocals of the performers – from singing to rapping to beat-boxing with harmonies and freestyle flow – are backed by tight tunes from keyboards and human percussion.
“When Lin and I were developing In the Heights, our friend Anthony kept grabbing Lin during breaks from rehearsal and freestyling. When I heard them, I knew they were on to something special,” said Producer/Director Thomas Kail. “We spent years crafting the show after that, and many of our favorite, and most hilarious memories, are from Freestyle Love Supreme shows. We've been waiting for just the right moment to bring the show back to New York. It's time!”
“Freestyle Love Supreme is the most exciting thing I’ve ever been a part of in my life. There is nothing like a live hip-hop show that is improvised from the first moment til the final curtain, and the skill set required to pull it off has introduced me to this deep bench of multi-hyphenate genius musician emcees,” said Producer Lin-Manuel Miranda. “No two shows are the same, each show its own experience. I’m so thrilled to get the band back together; and even though I’m a co-producer this time around, I selfishly hope they let me jump onstage a couple of times over the course of the run. FLS for life.”
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME features Andrew Bancroft AKA “Jelly Donut,” Arthur Lewis AKA “Arthur The Geniuses,” Bill ShermanAKA “King Sherman,” Chris Sullivan AKA “Shockwave,” Anthony Veneziale AKA “Two-Touch,” and Utkarsh Ambudkar AKA “UTK.”
Special surprise guests are planned for select performances during the run which could include, in addition to Miranda, FLS members Chris Jackson, James Monroe Iglehart and Daveed Diggs. All audience cell phones will be checked at the door for a truly memorable and personal experience.
In name and beyond, FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME pays homage to John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme", with a nod to musical roots in jazz, soul, blues and hip-hop. FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME was originally developed and produced in 2004 by Ars Nova in association with Jill Furman.
The 80 minute show is directed by Thomas Kail and features set design by Beowulf Boritt; costume design by Lisa Zinni; lighting design by Jeff Croiter; and sound design by Nevin Steinberg. General Management provided by Baseline Theatrical.
FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME runs January 30 to March 2, 2019 for a strictly limited run at the Greenwich House Theater, 27 Barrow Street. Schedule varies so please check the website. Tickets are on sale now. For tickets, check out www.freestylelovesupreme.com.